So, was the Emperor going to be like Ming The Merciless? And are Luke and Han basically Paul Atreides and Flash Gordon? He certainly namechecks the "spice" of 'Dune' a couple of times (spice-mines of Kessel, spice freighter).
Perhaps Luca$h really did want to make fluff. The first one is fun, but has serious overtones. The next was very dark. He took back control for the third and made a jokey movie with serious bits. The PT largely follow this pattern too.
I wonder if he wants to remake the saga as a mindless entertainment and that's what his constant tinkerings will lead to? He's trying to tone down the seriousness and up the effects and laughs. He never wanted to make a sweeping 'Ring Des Nibelungen' epic, he wanted a daft concept that allowed him to indulge in special effects and costumes.
Maybe ESB was the worst thing that could have happened, as far as Luca$h is concerned, because it started the idea that SW should be a serious-minded exploration of the human condition and not just an excuse for cool spaceships and fighting with laser swords.